Hi, I’m Michael. This is Lessons from the Screenplay. In the weeks following Black Panther’s release, I noticed that one character seemed to be
receiving a lot of attention. Michael B. Jordan’s “Erik Killmonger.” In particular, I kept encountering articles
and conversations saying he was the best antagonist since Heath
Ledger’s Joker from The Dark Knight. When looking at the design of the two characters, it’s clear that they have several similarities, but it’s their differences that are really
interesting. The character of The Joker is designed to
directly attack Batman. "Batman must take off his mask and turn himself in." "Every day he doesn't people will die." Killmonger, on the other hand, is designed to attack T’Challa’s weakness
in a more indirect and complex way. “This is it for you, cousin.” So today I want to look at the ways Killmonger challenges T’Challa’s deeply-held
beliefs… To examine why an opponent with an empathetic
perspective can be so impactful… And explore a unique aspect of Killmonger’s
design that makes him such an emotionally powerful
character. Let’s take a look at Black Panther. As the story begins, T’Challa believes that
Wakanda should remain hidden from the world. He wants to be a great king like his father, and he thinks the best way to do this is to
uphold tradition. “If the world found out what we truly are… what we possess…we could lose our way of
life.” Because this is the decision T’Challa will
be wrestling with in the film, the writers surround him with characters that
have varying opinions on Wakanda’s isolationism. At one end of the spectrum is Okoye, who believes the secret of Wakanda must be
protected, even if it means sacrificing the lives of
others. “How do we justify bringing him into our
borders?” “He took a bullet for me.” “That was his choice.” At the other end of the spectrum is Nakia, who refuses to stay in Wakanda because she can’t accept living in comfort
while there are so many others in need. “I can't be happy here knowing that there's
people out there who have nothing... We could provide aid...and access to technology
and refuge to those who need it. Other countries do it. We could do it better.” But even Nakia, who T’Challa is in love
with, can’t force him to change his beliefs. (explosion) That’s a job for the antagonist. As Killmonger arrives, he starts affecting the protagonist in the
same ways I outlined in my Joker video two years ago. Killmonger is competing for the same goal
as T’Challa… “I want the throne. I’m exercising my blood right to challenge
for the mantles of king and Black Panther.” …and pressuring him into difficult choices… “I accept your challenge.” But what makes him such a powerful antagonist is the way he attacks T’Challa’s weakness. Just like the other characters surrounding
T’Challa, Killmonger has an opinion on whether or not
Wakanda should hide from the world, and most importantly, it’s a perspective
the audience can empathize with. In an interview, Joe Robert Cole, co-writer
of Black Panther, said: “I think the best villains are ones that
have a point of view that’s relatable and that you can empathize with. Sometimes it’s how far you take things that
makes you a villain, and not necessarily the perspective.” Killmonger’s perspective is influenced by
his father’s experience in the United States. "I observed for as long as I could. Their leaders have been assassinated. Communities flooded with drugs and weapons. They are overly policed and incarcerated. All over the planet our people suffer because
they don't have the tools to fight back.” This outrage passed to young Erik, who points out that Wakanda has sat idly by
while so many have suffered. “Y’all sittin' up here comfortable. Must feel good. It's about two billion people all over the
world that looks like us. But their lives are a lot harder. Wakanda has the tools to liberate 'em all.” The foundation of Erik’s perspective is
essentially identical to Nakia’s. Wakanda, a nation of extreme wealth and knowledge, could be and should be doing more for those
in need around the world. Up to this point, his argument is one I think
most of us could get behind, but what makes Killmonger the villain is the
way he wants Wakanda to do more for those in need. “We're gonna send vibranium weapons out
to our War Dogs. They'll arm oppressed people all over the
worl so they can finally rise up and kill those in power. And their children. And anyone else who takes their side.” So if the antagonist’s perspective has
become so radical, how can they successfully change the protagonist’s
beliefs? This, in my opinion, is the most brilliant
part of Killmonger’s design. Not only does Killmonger affect T’Challa’s
beliefs intellectually, he also affects the protagonist’s beliefs
emotionally. Returning briefly to The Joker comparison, one of the biggest differences between him
and Killmonger is how much we know about who they are. The Joker has no backstory at all, and we never fully understand why he’s doing
what he’s doing— that’s part of what makes him so powerful. With Killmonger, the exact opposite is true. He isn’t some stranger who has come to wreak
havoc he’s T’Challa’s family. “Your uncle fell in love with an American
Woman. They had a child. We left him.” And in learning more about who Erik really
is, T’Challa discovers the ugly truth about
his father, and the real cost of Wakanda’s secrecy. “He killed his own brother and left a child
behind with nothing. What kind of a king... what kind of a man does that?” In this way, Erik is the embodiment of the
flaws in the protagonist's beliefs; a walking reminder of his father’s failings, an example of the people who have needlessly
suffered because of Wakanda’s isolationism, and living proof that shutting out the rest
of the world will not keep them safe. And it is only when T’Challa is confronted
with all of this that his beliefs finally change. “You were wrong to abandon him. All of you were wrong! To turn your backs on the rest of the world! We let the fear of our discovery stop us from
doing what is right! No more!” Just as The Joker pushes Batman to become
the Dark Knight through pressure and chaos, Killmonger pushes T’Challa to truly become
Black Panther through both confrontation… Killmonger: “You sat up here, safe and protected.” T'Chall: “You want to see us become just like the
people you hate so much. You have become them!” …and empathy. “The world took everything away from me! Everything I ever loved!” The writers let us see the young boy inside of Killmonger, a child who had everything unfairly taken from him, and for whom the world Wakanda was merely a fantasy. Killmonger: "You believe that?" "A kid from Oakland running around believing in fairy tales. After battling with and learning from the
antagonist, T’Challa decides what kind of king he wants
to be. “Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows. We must find a way to look after one another
as if we were one, single tribe.” Killmonger and The Joker are both brilliantly
designed to push their respective protagonists to change. But their differences demonstrate how the
specifics of the plot and the hero can demand different qualities from the antagonist This further underscores why the antagonist
should grow from the protagonist… …why empathetic villains are often more
impactful than generically evil ones… …and why The Dark Knight and Black Panther
are both great examples of how to create the ultimate antagonist. Hiding knowledge from the rest of the world
is never a good thing. I think if you have skills that can help people
learn, you should share them… Which is why it’s so great that Skillshare
exists. Skillshare is an online learning community
with over 20,000 classes in design, filmmaking, technology and more. I recommend checking out Yiyun Li’s class
on writing short stories. When you’re just getting started writing,
taking on a huge project can be overwhelming, and her class is a great way to begin practicing
on a more manageable scale. And you can get two months of Skillshare for
free by going to the url skl.sh/lfts5. So head to Skillshare to start learning today. Thanks to Skillshare for sponsoring this video. Hey guys, hope you enjoyed the video! A lot of times these videos change pretty
dramatically as I work on them. For example, the first version of this video
was four minutes longer and featured a more in depth comparison between
The Joker and Killmonger. And I know that some people find works in progress and early drafts really interesting, so I often share these early versions with
my Patrons. So if you want to support the channel and
get some fun extra content, head to my Patreon by clicking on the link below. Thank you as always to my patrons and my supporters here on YouTube for making this channel possible. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next
time.
I liked Killmonger but felt like there was so much missing potential with his character. There was about a full hour near the beginning of the movie where he was completely absent. The movie should have been almost 50/50 Killmonger and Black Panther ala Dark Knight. Good ideas but the execution was lackluster imo.
This is what an empathetic villain means to me. Not so much Thanos.
Okay I'm gonna break from the mould and just say that this was a strong antagonist with an interesting backstory and perspective. I'd like to have seen more of him in the film, but watching it over you get the feel that his presence is always there, with N'jobu telling him the story of Wakanda at the beginning.
I thought Ryan Cooglers choices were excellent in writing for this villian. Killmonger adds a level of reality into this fantastical universe as every black person in the audience could understand his perspective and his reactions. The character is very much still that child who lost his father and never really knew why, and with his father gone was separated from the rich history, culture and identity that his father told him was his. Of course he's resentful, of course he angry, of course he wants blood.
Brilliant character. I wish we could see more of him.
I thought the movie was very good. But, it felt more like a sequel or a 3rd film in a trilogy.
This is cool, but I kinda wish they'd spent time creating an interesting hero too.
That’s just about the only good takeaway from the script tbh.
One of the best villains that has been on screen in a long long time. It's not easy to write one this good though because he comes in with a lot of cache. He's the embodiment of a societal or cultural issue that has deep roots in most demographics and learned, aware, disenfranchised ppuluations can easily relate to his line of thinking even at its most absurd lengths. It also helped, greatly, that Jordan played the role.
Killmonger was a perfect villain, not just for a comic book movie, but any movie in general.
T'challa is the most boring protaganist in a major film I've seen in a while. Everyone wanted him to lose lol.